Base construction for steel towers



I. C. BUSHONG BASE CONSTRUCTION FOR ST EEL TOWERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4,19I6.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

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T l Z unirnn STATES PATENT ornron.

Ivan c. nnsnoive, 0F. err-Awe, Kansas.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVAN. C. BUs oNG, a citizen of the United States, residmg at Ottawa, in the county of Franklin, State of Kansas, have invented certain new and usean economy of the concretematerial will be effected without any sacrifice in its strength and stability as a supporting means.

It is also an object to produce an improved reinforced concrete base construction in which vertical tower sup orting rods are provided and arranged to ta e the direct weight of the tower frame, and are also provided with means for adjusting sald tower frame into true vertical position.

It is a further object to provide these tower-supporting rods with an effective means for taking up the vibration transmitted thereto from the tower frame and there-1 by relieving the concrete material of any injurious strains due to such vibration of the tower structure. i

It is also sought to devise a neat, simple and durable construction for the purpose desired, and which shall be of an economical and inexpensive character.

With these general objects in view the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating one form of construction which has been devised for embodying the improvements, after which those features and combinations which are deemed to be novel. will be set forth and defined in theappended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tower construction embodying the present improvements, the upper portion of the tower frame being omitted;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, shown on a Specification of Letters Patent.

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Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

Application filed member 4., 1916. serial No. 129,484.

larger scale, the section being indicated the line III-III of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, this illustrates the base 2, formingthe foundation for the tower, as constructed of reinforced concrete material, having reinforcing 4L and 5 arranged both vertically and trans versely, respectively, in any approved manner. In the present case, the main body portion of the base 2 is made of a shape of which the horizontal cross-section forms a figure of three or more outwardly extending lobes 6. y In the construction shown the body portion is formed with .four such lobes (see Fig. 2) through each of which is extended one of the vertical reinforcing members 4, and at vertical intervals the horizontal reinforcing members 5 are arranged diametrically across the base, intersecting the center thereof and connecting opposite lobes. The body portion of the base gradually expands at its lower end, as indicated at 8, into a bottom portion 10 of materially greater cross-sectional area than that of the main body portion of the base.

In each of the lobes 6 is also embedded a vertical supporting rod 12 the upper end of which projects above the upper face of the base for engagement with one of the legs of the tower frame 1 1. Each of the rods 12 is threaded at its upper end and provided with an adjusting and supporting nut 16 and with a clamping nut 18, the nut 16 being designed for engagement with the under face of the horizontal bracket projectionQO of the corresponding corner of the tower frame 14, by the operation of which nuts 16 said frame may be adjusted into true vertical position, while the nuts 18 cooperate with the nuts 16 for securely clamping the parts intheir adjusted position.

By this means the weight of the tower frame is received directly upon the support ing rods 12, and in order that those vibra tions of the tower frame which are imparted to said rods may be largely taken up without any appreciable injury to the concrete material, the latter is cored out around the upper ends of said rods to form the pockets 22 within which is tightly packed a quantity of composition material 24 of such a nature as to exert a shock-absorbing action about these particular portions of the rods Where thevibrating tendency is most severe.

The character of the composition material: 24 should'be such as to remain slightly plastic under all temperatures to which such tower constructions may be subjected.

It will thus be apparent that a simple and efficient'eonstruction hasbeen devised for carrying out the desired objects of the invention. -Thedesign ofbase is such as to require a minimum amount of reinforced concrete material for its construction, this base being of.cours'eembedded in the ground and its" lines serving to preserve the principal, an dessentmllmes of strength, and the lower expanded portions 8 and 10 acting to a securely" anchor tlie'basefin the required I fixed position}. The manner of mounting the supportingrods and connectingthe up- "per ends thereof"to'the tower frame pro- Videsa secure and reliable supporting structure wherebythetransmission of the tower frames "VllOlZttlQIl may be effectlvely controlled, and the provision of the shock-absorbing material serves to practically eliminate any injurious strains to the concrete material of the base; The mode of securing the tower frame in position upon the supporting rods by the means of the adjusting and clamping nuts also affords a conven-r ient andlpractical method of maintaining a proper verticalv ahnement of the tower n frame.

having vertical supporting rods embedded therein and projecting above the top of the foundation comprising a body portion having a horizontal cross-sectional contour forming a figure of three or more outwardly projecting lobes, and a base or bottom portion of a materially greater cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of said body portion, a supporting rod extending vertically through the upper end of each of the lobes of'said body portion and projecting above the top thereof, and a tower frame supported upon the upper projecting ends of said rods.

4. In a tower construction, a concrete foundationcomprising a body portion having a horizontal cross-sectional contour forming a figure of three or more outwardly projecting lobes, said body portion expanding gradually at its lower end into a base or bottom portion of materially greater cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of said body portion, a supporting rod embedded within each of the lobes of said body portionand projecting above the top thereof, and a tower frame supported upon the upper projecting ends of said rods.

5. A concrete foundation comprising a body portion having a horizontal cross-sectional contour forming a fi ure of three or more radially projecting lobes, and a base portion of a materially greater cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of said body portion, a supporting rod extending vertically through the upper end of each of the lobes of said body portion and projectingabove the top thereof, and horizontal reinforcing members embedded in said body portion and connecting diametrically opposite lobes and having the ends of said malmbers looped around said supportii'lg ro s.

IVAN C. BUSHONG. 

